[Editor’s note: KSWA Head Referee David Fedor contributed to this article]

JAY FLASH (ABOVE) PROUDLY HOLDS KSWA’S GOLD

Pittsburgh–Going into 2016, Jay Flash was filled with confidence. A former Golden Triangle Champion, Flash had just begun to challenge some of the biggest men the world of Pittsburgh had seen in decades. The KSWA specifically hosted the largest “big men” anywhere in the state. From the 7-foot-tall Jack Massacre to the nearly 7-foot-tall T-Rantula and immense “Big” Mike Malachi, Flash had the behemoths in his sites.

Dubbing himself the “Giant Slayer,” Flash picked fights with the athletes, who collectively weighed more than 1,000 pounds. Despite Flash being a mere 174-pounds in comparison, Flash managed to defeat each one, often times chopping them down with his trusty lead pipe. As KSWA Owner Tommy Faime’s hand-picked champion, Flash was on a roll.

Technically, Jack Massacre did win his showdown with Flash in January, by count-out. But, in one of the most stunning moments of the New Year, Flash successfully eliminated T-Rantula and Massacre from the over-the-top-rope Battle Bowl simultaneously but pushing them out. Malachi was conspicuously absent from Battle Bowl so they didn’t face off then.

Flash did defeat Massacre the next month by disqualification.

During the Joe Abby Memorial Night in March, Team Faime (with Flash, Bobby Badfingers and Vinnie Stone) all with Mayor Mystery, defeated the team of Tony Johnson, Shane Starr, Massacre and Malachi for the Abby Trophy.

In April, a historic Fatal Four Way pitted Flash in a match with T-Rantula, Massacre and Malachi. Jay was subjected a massive beat down by all of the other participants; however, T-Rantula won when the bond between Massacre and Malachi first started to become subdued. Flash escaped without losing.

Flash also produced one of the best matches of the entire KSWA calendar when he faced “The End Game” Paul Jordane in a one-on-one battle at Homestead’s “Brawl Under The Bridge 2.” The 6’7,” 265-pound Jordane provided a physicality Flash had not seen in single’s competition since he battled Tony Johnson in arguably the best match of 2015.

Once Flash was finished with the biggest Megastars, he had his eyes set on the KSWA’s biggest prize, the KSWA Heavyweight. Coincidentally, the most prestigious Championship in the Commonwealth was then held by the smallest (physically) Megastar to ever hold the prize: fan-favorite 150-pound Kris Kash.

It was after a grueling tag team contest at Spirit Hall (the former KSWA Arena, home to more than 90 events in a decade) in May that Jay Flash made his primary intentions known. Kash and his longtime friend Shane Starr had just lost the KSWA Tag Team Championships to Spear Asylum. Flash rushed the ring and assaulted Kash. While standing over Kash’s unconscious body in the middle of the ring, Flash raised the KSWA Heavyweight Championship over his head as the frenzied KSWA Krazies roared in chant, “Kash v Flash! Kash v Flash!”

It was one of this year’s biggest moments, some are calling it the “Flashpoint,” which changed the course of the KSWA. The “Kash v Flash” rivalry would continue throughout the year, providing many more memorable moments.

On September 10, the first-ever one-on-one match between Kash and Flash took place at the Teamster Temple. In a cataclysmic showdown, the two warriors—from Pittsburgh and South Beach, Miami respectively, put on one of the most physical and entertaining contests up to that point of the year. In the end, it was Flash who super kicked Kash in the center of the ring, and made the cover. Jay Flash was only the 13th Megastar to ever hold the most prestigious wrestling title in Pennsylvania.

Less than a week after winning the strap, Flash defended against Justin Sane in Millvale. Faime would protect Flash in subsequent weeks by having the Champion participate in tag team competitions, albeit it of the losing variety, against Kash and Starr.

Flash defeated Sane once again leading up to the monumental Kash v. Flash 2 in October. The grueling match between Megastars at the height of their careers ended abruptly as a pipe to the head. Flash retained by walloping Kash with his omnipresent inanimate carbon rod. Not happy with the win, Flash attacked Kash after the deciding bell. In a surprising turn of events, Mitch Napier returned to the scene wearing the “All American” attire that endeared him to the Krazies for the vast majority of his career.

That ultimately set up the biggest FanFest Main Event in years. It was Kash v. Flash and Mitch Napier for the KSWA Championship. In that match, all three Megastars provided their best match to date. Kris Kash dove from the Mezzanine and went through a table, along with Napier. In the end, Napier won the match and reclaimed a title he held for two minutes on the exactly same date in 2011.

But losing in front of the biggest crowd in Pittsburgh Independent Wrestling history was all parts Kash, Napier and Flash.

For that and more, Jay Flash, the Giant Slayer-turned-Champion-to-ex-Champ, is the Megastar of the Year, according to KSWA Digest.